At present, a cutting tool widely used in both the industry and the household construction is a handheld instrument with a blade commonly referred to as a utility knife. A utility knife generally has an elongated fixed handle, which is equipped with a sliding mechanism which can control the expansion of a cutting blade. The blade used by a utility knife is generally movable in and out of the elongated handle. Additionally, the handle typically houses the means for securing the blade. The rigidity of the elongated handle coupled with the placement of the securing mechanism within the handle has made the replacement of the cutting blade difficult.
In addition to the difficulty of blade replacement, the sliding mechanism of a utility knife generally includes a double guided rail and a column pulley system. This type of system has the shortcoming of producing a sliding of the fixed blade which lacks smoothness. Furthermore, the sliding mechanism and the means for securing the cutting blade cannot be extended from the elongated handle creating the need for a longer utility knife. A longer utility knife makes the tool less convenient to be used and carried.